신라 狼山의 歷史性

Abstract

Humans are weak existence, and therefore, they were afraid of natural phenomena and even worshiped them. The sky and the sun were placed at the top in terms of nature worship subject. However, mountains were the subject that affected human life the most, as they are located close to our daily life. People had a belief that a mountain is the passage to enter into a friendly relation with the sky, since the sky is high. For this reason, people held mountains sacred and worshiped the mountains. Although, mountain worship in Shilla was developed at early stage, the systematization of mountain worship began, after nation started to develop. Due to the acceptance of Chinese culture, a mountain was rated, according to its size, distance and effect. Although its is unclear since when, Shilla selected three major mountains (三山) and five major peaks (五岳), and targeted them for the first class national ancestral rites. Even though, specific subjects of the major three mountains and five major peaks differed, according to Shilla's political and social development, the most importantly regarded was Mt. Nangsan, low hill located in the Gyeongju basin. This study reveals that Mt. Nangsan was the center of three major mountains and also central peak (中岳) of the five major peaks before Unified Shilla. Mountain worship was solidly combined with Buddhism, as Buddhism was accepted, recognized, established and diffused. In such a process, Buddhism gradually became dominant, and mountain worship probably became subordinate to Buddhism. Since Mt. Nangsan began to be worshiped, the mountain went through several transformation processes. Especially, Sacheonwang Temple (四天王寺) was completed after unified Shilla, and it placed itself as the head temple of Shilla's patriotic temples, and thus, the status of Mt. Nangsan clearly became different as well. Mt. Nangsan was recognized as Mt. Sumisan (須彌山), which is the Buddhist's view of the world, beyond simple scope of faith in mountains. The reason why many monuments related with faith, such as tombs or temples surrounding Mt. Nangsan, were located is deeply associated with it. The fact that those monuments are easily confirmed at site nowadays proves such an association clearly.